Writer/director Ruben Alves' enormously charming, semi-autobiographical immigrant comedy is the story of a loving,
hardworking married couple whose long-held dream of returning to their homeland finally comes true -
only to be secretly undermined by their friends and neighbours.
Maria (Rita Blanco) and José (Joaquim de Almeida) emigrated from Portugal 30 years ago.
Ever since, they have lived in the modest ground floor lodgings of a chic apartment building in Paris,
raising their now adult daughter and teenage son, and becoming utterly indispensable to all around them.
When José learns he has inherited the family winery, the couple's dream of returning to Portugal is now possible.
However word spreads anyway, and soon their family, neighbours, friends and employers
are scrambling behind the scenes to find ways to prevent them from leaving...
Richly informed by his own upbringing as the son of Portuguese immigrants in Paris,
Alves' warm-hearted, cross-cultural comedy features a terrific ensemble cast, spot-on comic timing
and a thoroughly appealing central couple, whose dilemmas are portrayed with great tenderness and affection.
A GAIOLA DOURADA won the "People's Choice Award" at the 26th European Film Awards and was the film with the
most admissions at the Portuguese box office in 2013.
This movie includes French, Portuguese and English dialogue and is subtitled in English.
